


The Adventure

by Pongo0614



Series: Changes [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-02 07:43:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16300916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pongo0614/pseuds/Pongo0614
Summary: After hearing his parents falling out, Gorlois decides to run from Camelot for a bit. He hates it when his parents fight. However, he gets a little lost. He meets old friends of his parents and finds out things about his mother's past that he is sure his parents never wanted him finding out. Well, he believes that his mother helped Camelot, not tried to destroy it. Story 4 of Changes.





	1. The Lady in the Lake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the first full multi-chapter sequel and you are getting it in order.  
> Please, if you haven't read Consequence of Love, this will make little sense. Please go and read that first. I know it is long. I had to rewrite the damn thing. But it will explain most of this.  
> Small use of the word bastard in this chapter, but obviously not as an insult.
> 
> The children's ages  
> Gorlois – 14  
> Clarine – 13  
> Gareth – 11  
> Lynette – 8  
> Amhar – 7  
> Maldue – 6  
> Isobel – 6

**Chapter 1**

**The Lady in the Lake**

He knew that he shouldn't have done it. He knew that his mother would tell him off once he returned but he just couldn't stand it when they argued. They knew that it affected him differently to his siblings. They knew that he could feel the magic more. He had to leave. He had to stop the drumming noise inside of his head.

The teenage stopped for a second to clear his head, feeling like he couldn't run any more without tripping over. He placed his head in his hand and screamed into the empty forest

He knew he was special. Mordred had told him that many times before. He is one of the reasons for peace. Yet Gorlois always believed he was only getting half the story. He knew his father was a dragonlord. The stories he would tell would be so fascinating that Gorlois had wondered why he hasn't seen one before now. He would have to admit that the story of the dragon that attacked Camelot was his favourite. It just amazed him how a small manservant could stop a thousand-year-old dragon.

However, Clarine's favourite had always been how Uncle Arthur went to save Aunty Gwen. It was a good story and his father had shown bravery but it didn't show off his father's power.

There were many stories, showing off different elements of their friendship. Yet Gorlois found it weird that there were no stories that showed off his mother's power or the fact that there were so many stories that seemed to miss her out completely. He knew that his parents were equal in power. His mother was just better at healing while his father was good with the elements. Mordred had told him that different sorcerers were better at different things.

It was like himself. Gorlois believed himself to be the son of the forest. He had always felt weirdly at home in the forest. It either helped to amplify his magic or to calm it down.

With his head clear and with some hope that his parents had stopped arguing, Gorlois looked around to see where he was. He knew that he was in the Darkling Woods but didn't recognise this part of the forest and had no idea how long he had been running from and now, from where he stood, he couldn't remember the direction he ran in either.

Gorlois put his head back in his hands and groaned. This was not good.

His mother would be furious at him. She was more protective over him than his siblings but he never understood the reason behind it. Another story that they were probably missing out. He was fourteen. He knew how to use his magic and a sword. He was well equipped to look after himself, even if he didn't have his sword swing on his hip and it wasn't like it was the first time that he had done something like this. He would usually find his own way back or his father and uncle would always find him before his mother had a chance to find out.

He looked up and closes his eyes, trying to feel with his magic rather than by sight, feeling for the same energy that he just ran away from. His magic was his sixth sense and he knew that Clarine was jealous that he had more power than her. But sometimes Gorlois feels like he is more cursed than blessed by his magic. Mordred had told him that it was because of his parents. Two of the most powerful sorcerers to ever live. Any offspring are bound to get a section of their power.

His magic felt a pull to his left and he instantly turned that way and opened his eyes. He made sure that his magic locked onto the pull before he started to follow it. Gorlois knew that it would do him some good being out in the forest for a bit and allowed his mind to clear. He had a bit of anger building up inside of him. He might be the son of the Great Emrys, but that didn't mean that he was exempt from the snide comments the lords would make. Gwaine had tried to tell him to forget about it. His father was a true nobleman because of his heart as appose to any title that he now had. It was something that Gorlois knew and he wasn't ashamed that his father was once a peasant. Others might do, but not him.

It was more the whispers that he heard. The fact that he was called a bastard and that he was born of the Black Witch. Again Gwaine had explained the bastard thing to him and he could understand why he was being called that. He was born out of wedlock but his uncle had made sure that he would gain his father's titles when Merlin died. 

It was the Black Witch part and Gorlois didn't know who he could ask due to the fact that he had been told that the Black Witch was Nimueh. There was this sickening feeling the rose in Gorlois everytime he thought about it. He knew that he was the son of Merlin and Morgana. He knew that Morgana was his mother. So why were some of the Lords saying that he was the bastard of the Black Witch? 

Gorlois stopped just before the trees did and looked out of the trees. He knew that this wasn't the way home due to the massive lake in front of him but he couldn't help but see it as a sign. He took a step out into the clearing and stepped towards the lake. He wondered whether he was finally going to meet the Lady of the Lake, someone that he didn't believe in.

"Hello, Merlin." A woman's voice said.

He looked around for the voice and was surprised to see no one there. 

"Sorry, you must be Gorlois. Down here." She said.

Gorlois turned back around slowly, looking towards the lake. He had to rub his eyes a few times to make sure that he was seeing what he thought he could see.

"Why does he always have to be right?" Gorlois said sitting down on the banks of the lake.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"You are Freya. The lady in the lake, as father calls you. Why does he always have to be right?"

Freya laughed. "He is your father. To you, he always seems to be right because he has made all your mistakes."

Gorlois tilted his head to the side. "Yes but I don't think he had a full blown argument with his father that a lady cannot be in a lake."

"No, probably not. Yet that is the joys of the old religion. It works in weird and wonderful ways."

Gorlois gave Freya a half smile.

"Anyway, you should probably be getting home," Freya said

"If I knew what way was home," Gorlois said looking at Freya properly.

She was a very beautiful woman.  _Maybe that's the reason that father saved her. Maybe there is more to the story than he is telling us._

"The dragons talk in riddles and for the moment, so shall I. The old religion is a little funny like that. You always know the way home Gorlois, but our meeting has been no mistake or accident. Follow your heart home. It will always lead you there. Yet this time, it may not take you the way that you might think. You have a lot to learn about your family. Without this, you will never know. Just don't be frightened by what you might find out."

Gorlois found himself nodding but before he could open his mouth to ask any questions, she disappeared. He cursed as he stared at the water. Not only had his father been right, but she had given him so cryptic clue as to how he was going to get home. An actual direction would be helpful as appose to some riddle. Yet he knew that he had to take her advice. 

_You have a lot to learn about your family._

He knew that already and he knew that he had a lot of questions but he didn't know whether this was the right way to go about it. He hoped that she was wrong and that by following his heart, he would just get home. But with every step he took, he unwittingly took a step away from Camelot and a step closer to the truth.

 


	2. The Argument

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to get myself together...

**Chapter 2**

**The Argument**

"Oh come on Morgana. Stop being so stubborn..."

"Oh I am the one being stubborn, am I?"

"Now you are just being ridiculous."

"Oh, I see how this is."

Morgana placed her hands on her hips and Merlin knew that they were both getting more annoyed but also bored of the argument. He had no idea of how long it had been going on but the one thing he wished was that Gorlois hadn't reacted in the way that he usually did. The last time, he just about found him before Merlin had convinced himself that he would have to tell Morgana about what happened every time they argued. It just so happened that he was the centre of their current argument. If she ever found out that Gorlois ran off every time they argued, Merlin knew it would only start another argument. They did seem to be arguing a lot more recently.

"He is fourteen, Morgana. He has heard the stories. Wouldn't you want to meet the great dragon after that?" Merlin tried to argue.

"Oh yes, of course," Morgana said, the words dripping with sarcasm. "I would really want to meet a magical creature that could have destroyed my home and killed my brother."

"Well ..." Merlin stopped himself before he could say anything more.

Morgana closed the distance between them and slapped him, making him move his head.

"That is forgotten." She spat at him.

Merlin's cheek really hurt but he knew better than to rub it.

"I know." He looked at her. "I am so sorry. I got in the heat of the moment. I am sorry."

"What if you had said something and the children heard? I haven't tried so hard to cover up my past for you to ruin like you always do. You still think me as the villain."

Merlin knew what this was all about. It was the reason that they had edited their stories as they grew up. Morgana's dark past was behind them all now and it didn't make any sense for them to tell their children that she could have been the downfall of Camelot and the Golden Age that they had built together.

Merlin walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. He knew she would try and struggle out of his embrace but he had to hold on.

"I never thought you the villain. If there was any villain, it was me. I stood by the side and did nothing while you tried to make change come around."

"And I did it without being told to by a pathetic dragon," She said releasing herself from Merlin's grip.

Merlin did hope that as the conversation was changing back to the dragon he was forgiven.

"I don't want him doing what he did to you what he did to Gorlois."

"He has changed Morgana. You made him change."

"Yes, but he has his ways doesn't he. He managed to have you pretty fooled all those years."

"But he did say about the Golden Age of Camelot, which is now, and the return of magic to the land. He just underestimated your importance in it all." Merlin sighed when he realised that he might not be getting through to her. "Morgana, they are going to find out one way or another. Wouldn't it be better if they heard it from us rather than a stranger? I know Gorlois has started to question everything we have told him."

He knew that he said the wrong thing there. She turned to him, a face full of worry.

"What has he said?" She said.

"He was talking to Gwaine. He had overheard Sir David's sons speaking about him. They said that he was the son of a peasant lord and the black witch. They did go onto to Clarine and Gareth saying that they weren't worthy of the throne because of Gwen. Gwaine said what he has always said about nobles, calling me a proper noble because I was noble of the heart rather than having the wealth. He managed to make Gorlois forget about the black witch part and just said that they were jealous of him."

"Doesn't change anything though."

Merlin sighed, knowing what her thoughts were probably turning to. "We can tell them together. I will admit that the twins are too young to understand but Gorlois and Lynette should be told. They will understand your reasons. We will make it so they understand."

He could tell that he had made her feel a little better about the subject. It was something that they should have done years ago. They should be able to understand Morgana's past and defend her like they defended his past life as a servant.

"At least they didn't call him a bastard."

She gave him a small smile which he returned. They always had to find the good in their situation. 

"I know, I am sorry," Merlin said as she opened her mouth.

"Yet you are my husband. It isn't proper that I hit you."

"Is anything about our relationship or family proper? Anyway if you didn't I would always be out of line."

She smiled.

"Anyway, I wouldn't want it any other way." He said. "And I have hurt you in more ways than you could ever hurt me. You cannot hurt me as much as I have hurt myself."

"We are both as bad as each other. Its been nearly fifteen years and we still cannot get over two years of the past."

"We are over it. Just sometimes it threatens to bite us. We need to tell them before they find out themselves. It will bite us then."

"I just don't want them to hate me."

Morgana looked down at the table. Merlin knew her fears. He knew that she knew that her children would love her no matter what but he also knew that she was scared that if they knew what she was and what she did that they would turn their backs on her. It was a fear that he held as well. He had already thought of a number of answers for the main question of why did he marry her. Their story was complicated. 

The door flung open and Merlin hoped that whoever was going to walk in would see that Morgana was there.

"Milord I need to ..."

"Matthew, how many times do I have to tell you? Please just call me Merlin." He said as he turned to the young adult.

Merlin remembered when he was in Matthew's position and it was new and scary but he had settled in well and all the children loved him. Him and his sister, Elsada, were the family servants. Merlin and Morgana argued with Arthur long and hard over their employment. They didn't need servants but Arthur argued that it wasn't proper that they didn't have one.

"I'm sorry Merlin but Gorlois has run off again. I cannot find him and a knight saw him leave a while ago."

Merlin had tried to stop him but he couldn't stop the words. He slowly turned around back to Morgana.

"What do you mean again?" She shouted.


	3. The Smugglers

**Chapter 3**

**The Smugglers**

Gorlois knew it a long time ago and he knew that he was stupid to think that he would be able to just get home without having the questions answered that he needed. He had been going in the wrong direction and he was tired and hungry. He had little idea of how long he had been walking for and he wondered how his father was going to try and cover this up from his mother. Certainly, he had been missing for too long now. It would be how she would react and whether she would stop him from entering the forest by himself.

The problem was Gorlois like to be in the forest alone. It helped him to escape the realities of life and just escape the other lords. 

He hadn't told anyone and he had even asked Clarine not to say anything when he was called a bastard in front of her. He just took the insult now. He had to. He had to take the verbal abuse that he got about his own birth and his parents. He had to just accept that his father would be known as the peasant lord and his mother the black witch for some reason. His parents hadn't brought him up to be a violent person and he believed that was the reason that he hadn't punched anyone about the words that they had said.

Gorlois stopped as he heard shouts. His hand went to where his hilt should have been and groaned as his hand hit his hip. It was completely the wrong time to not have his sword. He took a deep breath before walking up the hill and crouching near the top. He watched the people run back and forth, carrying all types of weaponry.

"Come on. We need to get this to Essitir as soon as possible." The man, that Gorlois suspected was the leader, said.

With the hurry that they were in, Gorlois realised that they weren't your normal sellers. They were smugglers. He started to make his way backwards, not wanting to get involved but was stopped by the tip of a sword resting on his neck.

* * *

Gorlois groaned as he was forced to his knees.

"We 'ave a spy."

He didn't like the way that he was being handled nor did her like the way that all the smugglers had surrounded him.

"I wasn't spying. I was just ..."

"Spying?" The leader said as the group split to let him in.

"No I was ... I am lost." Gorlois said.

"Where are you heading?" The leader said.

"Camelot."

"Half a day that direction." The leader said, pointing in the direction that he had just come from.

He turned from Gorlois.

"What are you all waiting for? Get back to work!" He shouted.

A few of them stayed while the others manically ran around, crashing into each other.

"You are just letting him go? He will tell the king." One of them said.

"I don't care for King Arthur. He can't do any worse."

Gorlois stood up. "Do you know my Uncle?"

The man sighed. "I wouldn't say know. I helped him and he took everything from me."

"Hey, that's not fair. If it wasn't for Morgana, it wouldn't have happened. You cannot just blame him." One of the smugglers said.

"I don't just blame him. I blame the serving boy, myself. I even blame her."

"Sorry little lost. What did my mother do?" Gorlois said.

"Morgana is your mother?" The leader said.

"Yes, and I guessing the serving boy is Merlin. He is my father."

Gorlois couldn't tell if the man was confused or disgusted. "Why would he have a child with his enemy?"

It was Gorlois turned to look confused. "His enemy?"

The man turned his back to him. "I have no time for you. We need to get on."

The rest of them left, par one.

"It's still a bit hard for Tristan." The smuggler said.

"Tristan," Gorlois said. "That's the one that my father turned Uncle Arthur into a simpleton. That is a good one."

The man looked confused at Gorlois. "You know the story but yet you are confused by it."

"My parents weren't enemies. I would know if they were. They wouldn't keep that from us."

"Us?"

"My siblings, my cousins and I. There is seven of us in all. They tell us of their adventures."

"Yet they didn't mention the biggest part of it all."

Gorlois ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't certain that he wanted to ask what he was about to. "Tell me your version of events."

"We had stumbled across your father and uncle. We were attacked and the few that survived followed. Your father had got the confidence back into Arthur at the same time Isobel had persuaded Tristan into helping them. He didn't want anything to do with it. Although I do believe that it was due to a king going back for a servant. The friendship that your father and uncle showed made Tristan change his mind. They stormed the castle. They managed to find your mother fine yet it was Isobel that wasn't going to come back. I remember seeing Tristan cradling her body. He was heartbroken by her death. He still isn't over it now."

"My mother was with them."

The man creased his brow. "No, she wasn't. She was the one who took Camelot off of them. She had stormed it with help from Helios."

"My mother wouldn't do something like that," Gorlois argued.

"Yes she would and she did twice. She wanted the throne so badly, she would kill her own brother for it."

"My mother never wanted the throne. She has only tried to serve and save Camelot the best she could."

The man stood slightly opened mouth. "How have your parents blinded you so much? She was named the ..." The man couldn't finish they were ambushed.

Gorlois didn't think that his situation could get any worse and after thinking that they were bandits for a while, he had no real qualms with sparring with them. He had never killed a man before or seen someone kill and he felt quite disturbed as well as feeling rather sick at the sight of the bodies. He didn't kill any and that was probably the problem. He was once again forced on to his knees while the remaining of the smugglers were lined up with him. Gorlois knew for sure that they weren't Camelot's men and they definitely weren't bandits. They wore a crest but he couldn't tell who it belonged to. 

"These are Camelot's lands. You have no authority here." Tristan said.

Gorlois felt safer that he was still in Camelot's lands. 

"The soft king with his peasant wife may own these lands but don't run them with the right laws." A knight said as he came in on a horse.

"What makes you think you have any more authority? Which kingdom are you from?" Tristan asked.

"The better of the kingdoms. The only one that hasn't been infiltrated by magic."

Gorlois held back a groan. He knew where they were going.

"Then release us. We are on our way there."

The knight smiled at Tristan. "How can I be so sure?"

They were all pulled to their feet and started to be marched away. There was only one thing for sure. Gorlois wasn't going home any time soon.


	4. The Hunt for Gorlois

**Chapter 4**

**The Hunt for Gorlois**

"Why have I never been told?" Morgana shouted as she left the room.

Merlin turned to Matthew. The look on his face said everything that Merlin was thinking. 

"You weren't meant to know she was here," Merlin said as he passed Matthew.

"But I should have checked," Matthew shouted after him.

Merlin jogged so he could keep up with Morgana. "Come on he is fourteen. I remember when I was fourteen. I was running off at sunrise and not returning till past sunset. I arrived in Camelot when I was sixteen. My mother actually allowed me to walk, by myself, to Camelot for Ealdor. You know that is quite a difference."

Morgana turned and glared at him. "Yes, but at least you were in that kingdom when you were younger and it was Cenred who didn't care. Lot could use him against us if he gets his hands on him. We live in dangerous times Merlin."

Merlin tried a different approach. "He does come back. He has told us that he feels our magic. He always has said that he feels our arguments. It did just get quite heated. He probably has just gone into the forest. You know it calms him down."

Morgana stopped and turned to him fully. "Yes but this is what I have been meaning all this time. You don't trust me when my own son runs off."

"I understand that but I don't wish to worry you. I do it to protect you. He first ran off when he was eight. Think about how you would have reacted then? You cannot keep him by your side forever. You can't keep him safe."

"I can bloody well try." Morgana spat at him, starting to walk again.

Merlin sighed and knew that he had to do something and he was glad when Arthur and Gwen appeared from around the corner. 

"Morgana?" Arthur said.

"Did you know about Gorlois running off into the forest?"

Merlin knew that the longer Arthur stayed quiet the worst it was going to look on him. He willed Arthur to say anything, even yes at this point.

"I did. Is this what you are arguing about now?"

"He still doesn't trust me. And neither do you obviously." She hissed.

"I'm not the only one with trust issues," Merlin said.

"Keep your voices down," Gwen said hoping to diffuse the situation. "We have guests. It hard enough that they are from Essitir. They could run back to Lot quite easily and tell him that we are fighting among ourselves. What do you think Lot will think? He will be glad and only want to increase those divisions."

"I can't help that these two can't seem to get over the past. Now I find out that my oldest has run off into the forest."

Merlin was hoping that Gwen was still going to look like the good one in this. They needed at least one of them to look like they were still on Morgana's side.

"They are over the past. We all agreed that these things were in the past. And I am going to stick up for him. Merlin was going to tell you when it first happened but we advised him against it." Gwen explained. "You were having problems with Maldue and Isobel. We didn't want to put you under any more stress than you were already. You were already making yourself sick. It just got harder to tell you afterwards because we had little idea to how you would react."

That was the last thing that Merlin needed. 

"So everyone knew, but me?!"

"He is usually back within a couple of hours. Just let everything settle before you go storming off. We may need to find you afterwards." Merlin said, trying to lighten the situation.

"That's why I came to you," Matthew said.

Everyone jumped at the manservant's voice. They had been so engrossed in their argument that nobody realised he was there.

"How do you mean?" Merlin said, hoping he wasn't going to say what he thought Matthew would.

"He has been gone for at least three hours. I have started to worry he wouldn't come back. A number of the druids have said that the surge of magic was a little too much for them. He must have gone far to feel it less. Goddess knows where he could be."

Merlin looked at Matthew. That was not what he wanted.

Morgana had enough. "Arthur, a search party needs to be ordered to leave now. He needs to be found. Gorlois is not only a bargaining tool but he could be a powerful weapon. If he only has half Merlin's or my magic then we could be in trouble if he is used against us."

Merlin looked at Arthur and they knew that they had to give into her. Gorlois had never been gone for that long before. Something must be up. If he had been kidnapped, then Morgana had a very good point. As long as no one knew that he was their son or one of the nephews of the King of Camelot, they would be fine. Camelot may have fewer enemies now but Lot and Essitir was the biggest threat they had and probably one of the worst threats that they had. 

"We will leave at once," Arthur said, walking down the hall.

Merlin followed him as he used to. The sound of Morgana's heels gave her away.

"I am coming to find my son. As you are both incapable of looking after him, I need to."

The two men knew there was no need to argue with her. She was coming whether they liked it or not.

"Right Merlin you go and get the horses ready. Morgana, go and find Leon and I will try and find Gwaine. Meet in the courtyard in five."

Merlin nodded at Arthur and moved his way to go off and do what he was told to do. Even though Lot hadn't done anything for years, there was big suspicion that he was planning something big and, even though he hated agreeing with Morgana, she was right. Gorlois was a weapon that could be used against them either for ransom or against them in general.

He shook his head.

They would find him. He was sure of it.


	5. The King of Esstir

**Chapter 5**

**The King of Esstir**

Gorlois wished that they could just stop. He had been walking for the majority of the day, without really having anything to eat, but it didn't seem like the bandit knights were going to allow him to have the rest that he wanted. It was dark by the time they got onto a clear track and it was something that Gorlois was grateful for. It meant that he didn't have to lift his feet as high or think about where he was stepping. The day had taken its toll and Gorlois was starting to struggle to keep up with the group. 

Gorlois groan as he hit the ground after he tripped over his own feet. He could have cursed his father for his clumsiness but he felt like he couldn't say much out loud. He had guessed where he was going and couldn't feel like he could say the things that he would usually say. One of the knights grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up.

"Keep walking." He said shoving Gorlois into the smugglers.

With being the King's nephew, Gorlois had found that the other lords might call him names, but they were never violent with him. It gave him a certain amount of protection for his parent's secret past. However, this knight didn't know and he had to stop himself from telling the knight that he was King Arthur's nephew and what he thought of the knight. He knew that he had to calm himself down. The anger that he was feeling was rather out of character and he didn't like it. 

He just wanted to be in Camelot. He just wanted to be home.

* * *

The end seemed to be insights when the sun rose. 

Gorlois knew that Essitir's castle wasn't the finest in the five kingdoms and that it wasn't in the best conditions. However, the granite castle of Essitir wasn't just in disrepair. The half of the west wing was seemingly missing. He was sure that he could see doors and curtains moving in the wind even from the distance that he was. 

He obviously only knew part of what happened here. He knew that there had been an immortal army and Cenred had led that with the Black and Red witches. After his plan had been foiled by his father, he had returned back to Essitir where the Red Witch had killed him. The people had ransacked the castle, as was seemingly the thing that people did with the main driving force behind the peace of the kingdom was dead. He had heard rumours about Lot and the type of King he was and he wasn't really someone that Gorlois wanted to meet in a hurry.

Even though the sun was rising, Esstir seemed to have a dark cloud hanging over it.

Gorlois tried to keep calm but he had very little idea of what was going to happen once he was in front of the king.

* * *

There were many things that Gorlois was grateful for. The first that they were kept in one group rather than lined up. It meant that he could hide in the middle of the group. The second was that he was still quite small. He felt safe as he felt hidden by the full-grown men. There were a few that were smaller than him but he felt like he didn't have to worry so much. He could hear Lot drumming his fingers on the arm of this throne. His father had done it many times. Mainly when he was nervous. It was especially when Mother gave birth to the twins.

"What's the meaning of this?" The king said trying to remain calm.

Gorlois had seen his uncle use this technique many times before. Yet his uncle's voice would be a lot higher.

The knight who was on the horse stepped forward. "We found them in the forest sire."

Lot switched between which arm of the chair he was resting on a couple of times.

"Magic users?" He said.

Gorlois stared at the floor. He couldn't let him know.

"Smugglers." The knight replied with.

Gorlois silently let out the breath he was holding.

Tristan step forward. "I'm sorry if I speak out of turn milord but we just on the way to you. Your knights ambushed us and have left behind at least 100 golds worth of weapons we have managed to steal and smuggle across Camelot."

The knight turned to Tristan, looking like he was going to strike him.

"Do you have King Arthur's sword?" Lot said before the knight could do anything.

The knight stopped to allow Tristan to answer the question.

"No, not yet milord."

Lot nodded and the knight hit Tristan in the abdomen, causing him the crumble to the floor. 

"I wanted that sword three years ago. The Soft King doesn't deserve a sword like that." Lot said.

Gorlois looked around and saw two lord whispering to each other. He looked straight but watched, out the corner of his eye, as one of the walked around towards the king. Lot stopped his rant on Camelot to listen to the lord. He looked right at Gorlois and smiled.

"Bring me the boy in the middle, trying to hide."

Gorlois felt the knights grab his arm and let them pull him towards the king. They pushed him to his knees.

"What's your name?" Lot said, using his sword to tilt Gorlois' head up so he could have a better look at him.

Gorlois said the first name that came to mind. "Matthew, milord."

Lot smiled slightly. "Tristan, is that the boy's name?"

There was a moment when Gorlois couldn't remember whether he had actually told the smugglers his name. It was probably better that he hadn't. They were safer if they didn't know his name

"If that's what he says his name is, then it must be. I have only just met him. I needed a dogsbody. Didn't ask for a name."

The lord, that whispered to Lot, stepped forward. "I believe both are lying milord. I believe him to be Gorlois Wyllt, first son of Merlin Wyllt and Morgana Pendragon, known to the magic community as Emrys and let Fay, to the normal people as the Peasant Lord and the Black Witch."

There was just something about the way that the Lord said the Peasant Lord and the Black Witch that just made Gorlois react.

"She isn't the black witch and my father is more of a Lord than you will ever be." He shouted.

Lot moved the sword away. "Kanelinques I think you hit a nerve. But I will give it to you Gorlois, you are brave. Unlike your father. He just uses petty tricks."

They both smiled down at him and he knew he shouldn't have said what he had. They were obviously only trying to wind him up to get a reaction out of him but he felt like he couldn't allow his family's name to be blackened any longer.

"I think we need to send a message to the Soft King and his Peasant Lord telling him we have his nephew." Lot said smiling. "Take them away. It might be best if we use one of the special cells."

Gorlois gave him a confused look as he was dragged away.

* * *

Gorlois rolled along the floor due to the way he was pushed into the cell. He knew immediately that this felt different to a normal cell and it worried him slightly. It seemed to take everything out of him. He felt more drained than when they were walking. He looked at his cellmates. It was just Tristan and the man that was explaining to him.

"Thank you for not tell them," Gorlois said to Tristan.

Tristan looked up at him then turned over without saying anything. Gorlois looked at the other man.

"My name is Edward and I think you should get some sleep little lit, its might be a long time till we are needed again and you need all the energy you need."

Gorlois nodded.

He knew that the dungeon floor was going to be worse to what he was used to, so he took off his jacket and tried to gather up an arm full of hay and wrapped it in his jacket. At the very least, he would have a makeshift pillow. He was glad that the nights were still as warm as they were. He curled up on his side looking at the wall. 

There was no doubt that his mother knew about his disappearance and he knew that she would have the whole of Camelot looking out for him. He could just imagine her being angry about how she hadn't been told and demanding that there should be a search party for him. He knew that when he saw her, she would be relieved as well as scolding him. He wanted to be home. He wanted to be with his family.

Yet they had kept stories from them. Gorlois was sure that they had their reasons but as soon as it was known to them that his mother had been called the Black Witch in front of them, they should have told them. Freya had told him that he had a lot to learn about his family but he wasn't so sure that he was going to learn anything. He had heard his parents say that the past was in the past and all of this had to do with that.

"Tristan. We have to escape. If not for Gorlois sake."

"How do you think that is going to happen? Lot only wants the boy. We can trade like we always have done."

"Everything that happened wasn't his fault. He doesn't know what has happened."

"Then it isn't our place to tell him."

Gorlois sighed before he allowed his eyes to close by themselves.


	6. The Great Escape

**Chapter 6**

**The Great Escape**

The dungeon was full of noise. The other prisoners demanding things off of the guards. Yet in Gorlois' cell, things were more than a little quieter. He didn't know whether the deafening noise would be better than the silence that filled their cell. It didn't help that Gorlois felt a little weird and he had suspected that it was something to do with the special cell that he had been put in. He had concluded that it had something to do with magic. 

With a word not being muttered since they were thrown in the cell, Gorlois weirdly found it upon himself to do something. He had to get out of the cell before news reached Camelot of his capture. He couldn't be used against his family or sold for a ransom. He got up from his place on the floor and walked to the lock. On examination, it was like the locks they use in Camelot. Not very difficult to get out with magic. 

He held his hand no more than a centimetre from the lock. "Tóspringe."

Gorlois pulled his hand back as the spell backfired, sending an electric shock through his palm. He shook his hand to try and remove the pain.

"Why did you think he called it his special cell?" Tristan said.

Gorlois turned to him. "I didn't think something like that was possible." 

Tristan chuckled. "You have lived a very sheltered life, haven't you? I bet this is the first time you have been on your own."

Gorlois didn't want to reply to that but knew he that he couldn't be able to keep his mouth shut. "My mother is very protective of me. I would love to have my own adventures but I don't want her to worry. Well, I didn't want her searching for me."

"Her worries turned from Camelot to you. How sweet?" He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Edward cleared his throat. "Tristian! Gorlois, look, Cenred was very friendly with Morgause. Together they were going to conquer the five kingdoms, so it was rumoured. He wasn't like Lot. He was harsh against magic but only when he had to be. Mainly because he was infatuated by Morgause. She made these cells for those with magic who wished to go against her. Your lord father would have probably ended up here if they ever came to Esstir."

"And yet my aunty never knew of my father's magic." Gorlois pointed out. "Anyway, she wouldn't have been in Esstir. That would be going against Camelot. She would never go against Camelot due to my mother."

Tristan sat up straighter. "What have your parents been telling you?" Tristan said in amazement.

Gorlois looked between the two men before he continued. "Aunty Morgause was only really loyal to Camelot because of my mother. She would do anything for her."

Tristan shook his head. "Your aunt may have done anything for your mother. That part is true. Yet she was never loyal to Camelot. Uther was the reason they didn't know each other. It was Morgause that put the idea of Camelot's throne into Morgana's head once she had found out she was Uther Pendragon's daughter. She was against Camelot. She would have happily seen it burnt to the ground."

"My mother never wanted the throne."

"If that is true then I would still have Isobel!" Tristan shouted at him. 

There was a moment when Gorlois felt like he just needed to take a step backwards. He didn't feel like he was telling Tristan how to feel but he didn't quite feel like the older man understood that he had been told something completely different to the truth. Gorlois never realised how angry he got at the little comments until he felt like he heard every comment that had been said about his parents rush through his head. He felt his anger mix with his magic and was surprised when the door to the cell had been blown off its hinges. 

Tristan turned around and looked in astonishment.

"Always been told that my magic would be strong even if I only had a fraction of my parents," Gorlois said, even though he was amazed by his own power.

There was just something about the pure strength that scared Gorlois slightly. He knew that instinctive magic was powerful because it depended on the emotions. He was glad that he had reacted now to all of the comments. He might not have been so lucky in Camelot if it had been some Lord's son.

Gorlois was the first to run out of the now open door. He just had to get out of there and felt instantly better. He could hear Tristan and Edward follow on behind him and he wondered whether Tristan would know his way out. As the corridor meet another, Gorlois stopped and closed his eyes. He knew that they couldn't be recaptured. Even if Tristan knew a way out.

"What are you doing? We don't have time for this." Tristan said to him.

Gorlois opened his eyes and ran right down the corridor.

"The exit is the other way," Tristan called after him.

"And if you want to stay alive or free, you will come this way," Gorlois shouted over his shoulder.

Hw was glad when he heard the footsteps follow him.

* * *

The other smugglers were in the more guarded area of the dungeon but after knocking two of them out, there was no stopping them from releasing the other prisoners. Gorlois knew that if these were Camelot's dungeons, they would be able to get out of a tunnel and be free. The number of guards that flowed into the corridors shocked Gorlois and he knew that it was going to only end one way and it was something that he didn't want. He knew instantly that they were not going to survive without any weapons. 

Gorlois knew that he didn't want to kill anyone but he had to do something to save them from the slaughter that was about to take place. His arm flew out and his magic reacted to the situation. As they passed, he knew some of the smugglers would pick up swords from the fallen soldiers. The soldiers for Essitir seemed more on it than the ones in Camelot and it wasn't long before Gorlois found that they were surrounded once again. 

It was something that Gorlois knew that he would get used to but he couldn't help the way that he wasn't accustomed to killing just yet. The way that the smugglers unmercifully killed was haunting and he knew that he had caused what was happening. He knew that these knights would more or less kill them if they didn't fight back. As the smell of death filled the corridor, he knew that he had to use the same spell that he had just used. Knowing which way they needed to go, he used the spell, hoping that it would keep them at bay for a little longer.

Relief flooded Gorlois as they reached the gate and with another simple spell, he was back in the forest, where he belonged.

 

* * *

Lot drummed his fingers loudly.

"How did some brainless smugglers and a kid escape?" He said.

His commander stepped forward. "Milord, the kid is a lot more powerful than we thought. He managed to make the door of his cell blow off its hinges."

Lot stood up. "Maybe so but somehow they managed to allow a number of my men to be killed when they were defenceless."

The knight gulped as the king walked towards him.

"I know milord but the kid again. He is..." The commander was cut short as Lot killed him.

"I want him back." Lot shouted at his other knights.

They all scrambled out of the throne room before he could kill anyone else.


	7. The Dragon

**Chapter 7**

**The Dragon**

Morgana moved about in her saddle. The only time she hasn't know where Gorlois was for this long was the time in the forest when he was three. She was becoming quite worried now and it annoyed her about how like Merlin seemed to care. She knew that he knew that it was happening but she hoped that he would show just a little more concern about their oldest son disappearance. 

"What about Aithusa?" She said after a while.

Her husband turned to her. "Sorry?"

"We could use Aithusa to cover more ground. I know that she would only be able to see over unsheltered ground but it could help our search."

"So now you want the dragons." Merlin joked.

Morgana looked at him properly and glared.

Merlin shifted in his saddle. "Of course. It's a good idea."

They past a number of different clearings before the stopped at the larger of them. She watched as Merlin past his reigns to one of the guards and stepped out into the clearing. Morgana knew instantly that she was going to follow him. It felt like she hadn't seen Aithusa in years and she also wanted to be close to Merlin when he called for her. It still got her every time and just reminded her how much power Merlin possed.

She also went to show that she was being to forgive him. The past six years had been tough on both of them and with the children starting to path their own lives, she knew that this was the quality time that they hadn't been able to have for so long. In a weird way, it seemed like this was just there to show them what was important to them. They had forgotten about why they made this land. 

"O drakon, e mala soi ftengometh tesd'hup anankes! Erkheo!"

Morgana shivered next to him and he turned towards her.

"Sorry if I still find it a little bit sexy." She said.

Merlin smiled at her before holding out his hand to her. She took it and felt excited to see Aithusa again. She hoped that he had only called for the young dragon. It wasn't long before Aithusa screeched before circling clearing before she landed and bent her head down to Merlin.

From the last time Morgana had seen her, she had grown bigger and she was easily as tall as the trees that surrounded them.

Merlin stepped forward, letting go of Morgana's hand, and stroked her snout.

"Its been awhile."

Aithusa playfully pushed him, making him fall over. "You said you would try and see me twice a year. You promised me."

Morgana stifled a laugh as Merlin got up and brushed himself down.

"I know, I'm sorry. Blame the prat king."

"I heard that." Arthur shouted from where he was.

Aithusa moved to Morgana and she instantly put her arms around her snout. "Sorry I haven't seen you." She said.

"Father told me that you were busy but wanted to see me. He promised me that he would make sure next time he would bring you."

Morgana looked at Merlin before carrying on. "We need your help again. Gorlois has gone missing. We need to cover more ground. Do you think you could have a look from the skies?"

Aithusa smiled. "Of course I will. It means I can get away from Killgharrah. I enjoy what he is teaching me but that is all he ever wants to do. He is no fun."

"He is old. He won't have the same energy as you." Merlin said.

Aithusa pulled back from Morgana and turned to Merlin. "There is a difference between being old and being boring."

"He is just trying to be careful."

"I know but it is just no fun."

Morgana felt like she could sympathise with the young dragon. Both dragons were from different generations, like Uther and Arthur.

She was glad for the short amount of time that they'd had with Aithusa but they all knew that the sooner they all left to search, the quicker they would find him. Aithusa took off and Morgana knew that Merlin would instantly start to head back to the patrol. She grabbed his arm as he turned. They had to talk now about what they had been arguing about and their son being missing or otherwise, Morgana wasn't certain that they would.

"Merlin..." 

"I am sorry Morgana. I am sorry that I never told you. I know that you are scared of losing him and I know why you are so overprotective of him. But he will soon go off on patrol and have his own adventures. We can only keep him as safe as we can. We need to start teaching him how to look after himself rather than just confining him to the walls of Camelot. If we teach him that with how to defend himself, then he will always come home safe."

Morgana sighed. "I know. I am sorry for my rash reaction and for not understanding why you wanted him to meet Kilgharrah. I just think he is still biased and still wants me not to be a part of this. Gorlois running away shouldn't be a surprise to me. I understand why you kept it from me. You didn't want me to worry about it like I keep things from you as so you don't worry."

"What haven't you told me?"

"Clarine told me that Gorlois keeps getting called a bastard and she had even heard him being called the bastard of the Peasant Lord and the Black Witch."

"No wonder why he has been so quiet recently." Merlin groaned.

"Could that be why he has potentially run further away? Why he hasn't found his way back as easily?"

"Maybe."

"Are our secrets going to get out?"

Morgana knew that Merlin could only answer yes to that question. They had tried so hard to keep as much of the truth as possible from their children. They didn't need to know about her fall from grace and her fight for redemption. Even if that was her story, she didn't want her children or her niece and nephew to know how close they were not making this happen. She also didn't want to bring up the past. All four of them said that the past was in the past but she could tell that Merlin was still beating himself up about everything that he did against her to make her take the path that they were trying to hide from the children.

"We have many friends and enemies out there. Some will want to be helpful, others would love to see us tear each other apart again."

"I don't want him to know."

"I know," Merlin said as he opened his arms up to her.

She stepped into his arms and knew that they would comfort her for the moment. Soon she would go back to worrying about her son's whereabouts but she could give herself a moment to know that she had forgiven her husband as he had forgiven her.  

"Freya." He said suddenly.

"Sorry?" Arthur said as he joined them

"Freya isn't far from here. Maybe she has seen him."

Morgana looked over at Arthur.

"Why would your dead girlfriend have seen him?"

"I don't know," Merlin said. "He could have seen anyone by now. It's worth a shot."

Out of anybody, Morgana doubted that Gorlois had seen Freya. Yet she couldn't argue with him. She couldn't stop Merlin as he ran across the clearing to where the rest of the patrol was. She supposed that they were going to see the Lady of the Lake.


	8. The Heartbreak

**Chapter 8**

**The Heartbreak**

Gorlois fell to the floor, panting. He closed his eyes to try and concentrate on his breathing. He felt the comfort of feeling the grass between his fingers. His magic finally calming down since the outburst. He knew that they had run a considerable distance without anyone following them and they had all started to tire. No one really made the call to stop running but they had all stopped at the same time, obviously all demining the place that they were safe. 

"I haven't had to run like that for a while," Tristan said.

Gorlois let his eyes open. The leader gave him so many questions that he knew that he wouldn't be able to leave before most of them were answered.

"What is it with you? You blank me once you know who my parents are, but then you lie for me in front of Lot to then blank me once more, then you tell me that my mother would be happy to see her home burnt to the ground."

Tristan looked up at him and chuckled. "Then it wasn't really her home. Maybe she wouldn't have like it burnt to the ground because she wouldn't have anything to rule over."

"I don't believe you," Gorlois told him.

"When I met your father and uncle, your father had turned your uncle into a simpleton," Tristan recalled. "Little did we know that they had run from Camelot because Morgana had taken over with help from the Southron. They were after them. I don't know whether it was fortunate or not that we got involved. Isobel spent a whole night convincing me to join on Arthur's side." He paused. "There are many that I blame for her death. She is one of them, as is your uncle, father and mother. Your mother the most because if she was on Camelot's side, if she had worked out her feelings for your father sooner, I would still be with the one I love."

Gorlois remained silent for a little bit. "Yet that isn't my mother. It cannot be my mother. Why would the people love someone who tried to destroy their home?"

Tristan sighed. "That's something I cannot answer but the truth hurts doesn't it?"

"Why would my parents lie to me then? Why would they make her seem like the hero when she is the opposite?"

Everyone stayed silent and Gorlois was glad when no one stopped him as he picked up the sword that he had stolen. He had to get home before something like that happened again and it didn't seem like Tristan was going to be any help. As he started walking, he realised how much he missed home. He would give anything for Clarine to be moaning about her duties or Maldue and Isobel causing mischief everywhere they went. Even more, he missed his father's stories. Yet now he questioning the truth behind them.

Following his heart again, but not totally trusting it, he hoped that he wasn't going to run into anyone else that had anything bad to say about his mother. He only stopped when he heard his name being called. To his surprise, Tristan had followed him.

"Maybe I have been too harsh," Tristan said. "Look when you fall in love, so deeply in love that you cannot imagine life without out them, it hard to move on. I trusted you because I could see Merlin in you. You have his mannerisms."

"People say that. I curse at his clumsiness."

Tristan smiled. "Yet I believe if I knew your mother, you would be like her. Although I can see that you have your uncle's courage."

"Mother taught me that. She would always find a way to make the shadows and monsters disappear. Maybe they were scared of her." He tried to joke.

Tristan placed his hand on Gorlois' shoulder. "Your mother has done some bad things. We heard of them as we travel. I understand why you are blind to the fact that your mother was once the villain. They have tried to cover up the past. Maybe we should have realised that earlier."

"And maybe it was time for me to find out."

Tristan examined Gorlois. "How old are you? Sometimes I believe that you are young then you can say something and I believe that you are older than you seem."

"I have just had my 14th name day. Mordred has always said that I seem older but that might be because I am the oldest and my siblings are a lot younger than me. I had to grow up fast."

"I thought you were at least 16. It hasn't been as long as I thought."

"When you going to give Lot my uncle's sword?"

Tristam turned to him. "When I agreed I was still angry and Lot had said he would pay handsomely for it."

Gorlois nodded. He wouldn't really understand what Tristan went through until he found someone like that. 

"I should really be getting back. Mother has probably dispatched the whole of Camelot to look for me."

He held out his hand and Tristan's held his wrist. "It was good to meet you, Tristan. I hope, like my mothers, your anger for what happened will go. I am pretty sure you will be welcomed in Camelot."

Tristan smiled at Gorlois. "I might have you take you up on that offer sometime."

Gorlois turned to carry on his way but stopped halfway.

"My parents named my sister Isobel." He said looking over his shoulder. "They said that she was named after someone that showed them great courage. She was one of a twin. I believe that they were thinking of naming the boy Tristan. But now that I know what I know, that may have been a little weird."

Gorlois didn't wait for Tristan's reaction and carried on with his adventure.

* * *

She was certain that the oldest of the Wyllt children hadn't seen her. He couldn't see her just yet. He wasn't meant to meet her just yet. If destiny had its way, she shouldn't even be watching him but she knew that it was better that she watched him than anyone else.

For she knew that he was Dreng and he needed protecting from them.

There was only so much she could do now and she knew that in the future, they would meet. She had to keep him safe until then.

She sighed as she felt his magic. That powerful magic. The mix of Emrys and Le Fay. The light and the darkness. She knew that he didn't know just yet. He was too young to know the true extent of his power or even his name. She suspected that he might learn on this trip. The trip that was needed.

It was just a matter of time until they met and she couldn't wait to meet him in person.


	9. The Isle

**Chapter 9**

**The Isle**

Gorlois looked over his shoulder. He had noticed the woman watching him but he was grateful that she hadn't followed him. It was one less person that could be a potential threat. He knew the importance of watching his back, especially now that he was on his own.

Everything that Tristan said kept going around in his mind and it still made no sense to Gorlois.

Why would his parents lie?

He didn't realise that his parents had tried to cover the past up but he still didn't know how much he still had to discover.

_How long were they going to allow us to believe their lies? Were they ever going to tell us the truth? Why did they do it? We could handle it if we understood why. Why was Mother against Camelot?_

Gorlois' stomach rumbled. 

In his anger and rush to get home, he realised that he hadn't really eaten and now it had caught up with him. He remembered the lessons he had with Gaius about the types of berries and mushrooms that he could eat if he was in a situation he was in now. Gorlois started to scavenge.

* * *

After finding barely anything and being stung multiple times, due to his father's habit of tripping of his own feet, Gorlois found himself following a stream. He knew that one ran underneath Camelot, mainly that's where they got their water from, and it came out just the other side of the darkling woods. It was his best bet. He couldn't get any more lost. Plus, he at least had a supply of water and therefore would be able to find food easier. 

Gorlois had no idea what was the situation at home. He could only imagine that they were all out looking for him and there was a part of him that hoped that he would find one of the patrols put out to find him. It would make things easier than having to send out other patrols to bring in the search patrols. 

These were the times that Gorlois wanted his siblings to be magically as strong as him. Mordred had told him a number of times that they will come to their magic. But Gorlois could always remember using magic, like the time he turned Clarine's hair green. His parents punished him in front of the court but had praised him behind closed doors. They had always been proud of Gorlois' magic. Maybe it's because nobody could be proud of theirs.

The stream stopped and Gorlois carried on straight. He knew he must be nearly home, or at least he hoped.

* * *

Gorlois didn't know to be amazed or disappointed by the sight in front of him. He had found a castle, just not the marble one in Camelot. The castle was in ruin and in the middle of a lake. Yet something pulled him here and he could feel the strength of the magic and he knew that he could only be in one place.

"The Isle of the Blessed," Gorlois whispered to himself.

Mordred had told him about it many times and his father would mention that he had been there, but his mother would go quiet and dismiss the subject altogether. He had once spied on his parents and saw his father comforting his mother while she was saying it was her fault that they weren't with them. He had tried a number of times to sneakily find out the truth from his parents but very little was found.

The small boat creaked as it waited for him. Gorlois walked up the gangway and watched the boat as it rocked side to side. There was no wind and the water wasn't moving and Gorlois wondered how the boat was going to move. He knew that this was probably the next place that he had to go to find out the truth. He stepped into the boat cautiously. The boat rocked as it started to move, causing Gorlois to fall into it. 

* * *

Gorlois was certain that there were never going to be the right words to describe what he was felt as he walked through the rooms of the Isle of the Blessed. He could only feel the magical pull getting stronger. He was amazed that even in the ruins, the magic he felt was the strongest he had felt off of an object of the Old Religion. Mordred had mentioned on a number of occasions that this was where the high priestess lived and trained. This was their sacred home.

But not every home is as safe as Camelot.

Gorlois wondered if they knew what was coming, whether the high priestess thought it better to stay and fight rather than run. It felt right that Gorlois was there but at the same time it wasn't.

His grandfather had caused this. 

His uncle told him one time, on accident as well. He had said about how if he was born a few years earlier, his grandfather would have hated who his father was and the circumstance of his birth. He would have hated that he had magic. Arthur had even said that he would have hated both of their marriages and his reign. But Gorlois knew that it was for the best that he didn't know his grandfather. He was born in a time when things were changing. He was the main driving force behind that change.

"My, my haven't you grown? The last time I remember you, you were just a babe in my arms. How time does fly?"

Gorlois turned to see a blonde haired woman with a blood red dress on standing there. "Sorry?" He said.

"You must be Gorlois. You look the split of your father. I do hope you got something off my sister."

He shook his head. "But you are dead."

Morgause smiled. "Sometimes the dead can come back."

He smiled back. "I have always wanted to meet you. Mother has told me loads of wonderful stories."

"She speaks of me?"

"She is your sister. She does love you still. It's really the only stories she tells us. Father mainly tells them but he is better at telling them than her. Sometimes it nice for the change."

Morgause looked in admiration. "Even after everything I have done?"

Gorlois gave her a questioning look. "You helped mother. Why wouldn't she speak about you? Do you think she hates you?"

"After what I did last time I would have thought she would hate me until the afterlife."

"You saved my father's life. She would be eternally grateful." Gorlois argued.

"But if it wasn't for me he wouldn't have need saving. Also, I took you off her. You should have seen her face when it happened."

"You and mother looked after me when Alavar took Camelot. He was going to kill father when you stepped in front of him. Didn't you?"

Morgause turned back. "You have been fed lies."

Gorlois dragged a hand through his hair. "Another one to say I have been told wrong."

"Tell me a quick version of what they have told you. Up until you were born."

Gorlois looked at her. "Father came to Camelot, a few things happened. Nimeuh was the biggest villain. You turned up in my father's second year but stayed in Camelot fully after the dragon attacked. Nimeuh was finally defeated in my father's third year and the fourth was the lead up to Camlann."

He watched Morgause as she looked a little unsure about how to tackle what he had just told her. 

"Have they told you about the Questing Beast?"

Gorlois nodded.

"Look I don't know why your parents haven't told you the whole truth. I could guess but I think that you do deserve to know. It would be better coming from them but it seems like they are reluctant to do that. Nimueh died during the Questing Beast. Merlin barged with his life to save Arthur's. When it meant his mother's life instead, Merlin came back only to find Gaius had already given himself up to save poor Hunith's life. Merlin got a bit angry and killed Nimeuh right there saving everyone's life as the Triple Goddess took her life as the balance for Arthur's."

"But then who took over Camelot in my father's third year?"

Morgause studied Gorlois. "Then I guess that is what she has tried to keep from you. Her dark past. I would want to say she was totally willing but once your mother gets an idea in her head, its hard to change it."

"Uncle hates her stubbornness."

"It was Morgana and I that took the throne in your father's third year in Camelot. We had a number of different plans to mainly just bring Uther to his knees. After finding out her father was Uther she believed it was her right to have the throne. She was stupid. A bastard child could never get the throne or any inheritance. She was lucky enough to be his ward. I am certain that your parents had been fighting in secret for a while. I don't know why I didn't see it until now. She wanted no harm to come to him. "

Gorlois took it all in and wished to question a lot of it but settled at only one. "She wanted no harm to come to who?"

"Your father of course. The lowly servant. I still have no idea what she sees in him." Morgause said turning around.

"Where are you going?" Gorlois said stepping towards her.

"The dead are dead. They cannot stay alive for long." She said smiling at him.

Gorlois just watched her go with so many questions still to ask.


	10. The Old Friends

**Chapter 10**

**The Old Friends**

Merlin looked out onto the still lake. He may have been here hundreds of times but it still took way his breath by the beauty of the place. The magic that was present was strong and he knew that it had to be to keep the lake looking how it was. 

Merlin had little idea of how to call Freya from her watery home nor how she knew he was there. But yet every time she would appear.

Yet he had just realised how many duties he had neglected due to the duties of the kingdom and his family. Now that the children were older, maybe not only will Merlin be able to spend more time with Morgana but more time with his magical side.

he watched the water ripple from out of the corner of his eye.

"Did you find your way home?"

Merlin sighed. At least they are going to be closer in finding him. He turned to the patrol and shouted. "I told you so."

Morgana ran up and grabbed his arm as he turned his attention back to Freya.

"Sorry, Merlin. You two just look so alike." Freya said looking a bit embarrassed.

"As I have been told a number of times," Merlin said. "But until now I hadn't been mistaken for him."

"How long was it since you saw him?" Morgana said trying to take Freya's attention away from Merlin.

"It was a day, maybe two."

"Have we really been riding that long?" Morgana said, shocked.

"Yes, just because you are in a dreamlike state most of the time, doesn't mean we all are?"

Morgana looked back at Freya and Merlin knew that he had just been a little harsh. He knew that there were cracks in their relationship and they seemed to be showing to be deeper than both of them thought. They could put a front up in Camelot but here, they seemed to just let those cracks show. He leant forward and placed a kiss on her jawline.

"I'm sorry my lady." He whispered to her.

He knew that he deserved to be ignored but that didn't mean that he liked being ignored by Morgana. 

"Did you manage to see which direction he went?"

Freya looked between them both before settling on looking at Morgana. "He went East."

"East! Why the goddess did he go east?" Morgana said walking back to the patrol.

Merlin turned to follow her when Freya stopped him. 

"Merlin, sorry if I have done something wrong."

Merlin sighed. "I will agree with her, why east?"

"I told him to follow his heart," Freya said holding some words back.

Merlin just turned and walked away. He usually would give her a glance back but this time he didn't. For some reason, he felt like it wasn't right to.

* * *

As the light had faded and they set up camp in the smallest clearing they had come across yet, Merlin picked at his nails as he thought. He knew that this new generation would be like the older one. Never knowing what it felt like to be scared of yourself. He knew that they had to make this new era, this new peace. Albion had been broken by the purge and allowing magic back was a way of piecing back together.

But everything that happened between those two eras, everything that happened in their lifetimes, they had to hide. Merlin wasn't certain that even if they did tell their children, would they truly understand their reasons. Would they truly understand why they did what they did? Merlin doubted it very much and it pained him to think like that. They could never truly understand what they went through.

He looked up at Morgana as she tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to come out of his state.

"I'm sorry about earlier. With Freya." She said as she sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry as well. I shouldn't have been so harsh." He sighed. "What is happening to us? We were never like this before."

"I ... I just think that I am scared that I am going to lose you. Merlin, you could have had your choice of any girl in Camelot and putting destiny aside, if Freya hadn't been the Bastet and she was still alive, you would be with her. We keep saying that we can't change things but with our story, there are so many what-ifs. I am sure that the children wouldn't understand."

"Unfortunately as much as you probably hate it, you aren't going to get rid of me that easily. And I have just thought the same. We built this new world so that they didn't know the pain that we went through but will that mean that they will never understand the choices that we made. We didn't have it easy." He paused. "We haven't had time to ourselves for a while. I have realised how much I have neglected the dragons. Our duties to our family are getting in the way of other duties we have. Maybe after this, we need to take a couple of days out. For ourselves. Maybe that is why these cracks are showing."

"That sounds like a good idea." She said.

There was movement from the few guards that they had brought with them but other than that, the night was still. He knew that not everything could be solved with him showing his wife how much he loved her but he hoped that she was on the same wavelength as him and they could make it up to each other later on. They needed time to work their relationship out.

"Do you think Arthur will notice?" Merlin whispered to her.

Morgana smirked, obviously thinking what he was thinking. "We will find out in the morning."

Morgana grabbed Merlin's hand and ran into the forest.

* * *

Arthur had noticed that they had run off and he couldn't really deny them of the smiles on their faces. For some reason, it had been a long six years for them and the twins might have been a blessing to be born both alive, but they only seemed to bring bad news to Merlin and Morgana. He could only just imagine the difficulty of it as when they looked after Gorlois when Morgana was injured on their way to Gawant. At least Gorlois and Clarine were eight months apart. If this was the beginning of them rebuilding their relationship, then he would allow it to happen. 

He held up his hand to stop the patrol as he heard metal clashing together. Instantly thinking the worse, he jumped off his horse and led a few knights and Merlin and Morgana towards the sound. Peering over the mound, Arthur found a small sense of relief that they were just smugglers. He watched them as the smugglers gathering up swords, shields and other weaponry. Arthur placed his sword back in his scabbard before he revealed that they should probably just go down and check it out. As soon as they entered the clearing, the smugglers dropped everything.

"Come on, this is the second time in three days. We cannot keep doing this." One of them said.

"Well at least I know we won't die."

To Arthur, there was something reassuring about seeing Tristan. 

"Who else has captured you then?" Arthur said.

"Lot. This was all meant to be going to him but I do believe that our contract with him is up."

Arthur picked up one of the swords. "Contract?"

"Lot hired us to bring the best weapons in Camelot to him before the King of Camelot got to them. He also wanted his special sword." Tristan paused. "Your nephew us a quick thinking but also a bit quick-tempered. I think he could have gotten away with calling himself Matthew if one of the lords didn't call him the son of the peasant lord and the black witch."

"You have seen Gorlois," Morgana said.

Arthur had noticed how she hadn't given Tristan a look since they entered the clearing. He felt that way as well. It was just another casualty of their destiny.

Tristan turned but didn't look at her. "I must admit, I have probably let to all your hard work going to waste."

Arthur knew that Morgana would start to panic and if she was, she was doing it on the inside. It wasn't that she looked calm on the outside but Arthur had expected more of a reaction from her. Arthur knew that Morgana didn't want any of the children knowing her past and that she was against Camelot for a period of time. He had little idea why but was understanding about it. They had been truthful to each other. He didn't see why the children had to be any different. 

"What did you say?" Arthur asked. 

"He asked why I helped him but was cold towards him. I said it was because of his parents. I have blamed you, Merlin, Morgana and myself for a while now. How is it that a 14-year-old boy can put everything in perspective I will never know," Tristan said finally looking at the Wyllts. "He will make a fine knight and a very good man."

They may be no closer in finding Gorlios but Arthur knew that they had Tristan's forgiveness. He just wondered what Gorlois had said to Tristan.


	11. The Magical Swordsman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn it! Just a few minutes late where I am. I can still call it the 25th can't I?

**Chapter 11**

**The Magical Swordsman**

Gorlois was still felt like he was in shock about what he had found out. He had watched the friendship between his parents and his aunt and uncle all the time and he would never have suspected that they once were against each other. He furiously wiped his eyes as the tears started to fall. It was just the way that they all spoke about his mother just made him feel sad and angry. Really angry. He supposed that it was because they were talking about his mother in a light that he had never seen before. He knew that she was a good person.

Yet why would she want the throne?

If she loved Arthur as much as she says she does now, why would she try and kill him?

Gorlois thought back to their stories.

The one when his mother fell down the stairs. Could that have been caused by his father?

The one when Uncle Arthur went on his quest. Was it his mother that gave him the bracelet with the Eye of the Phoenix?

He shook his head. He could think of his parents in that light. They are his parents. But Gorlois did know what to think of either of them after what he had been told.

Not only that but he doesn't believe Freya any more. He has been following his heart and it has now left him heartbroken by what he has found out and no closer to home.

The young sorcerer sat down on the nearest fallen tree. He had no idea of how to get home and what to think of his parents. It was disheartening to know everything that he has been told could be a lie. 

Due to his run of luck, he knew that it wasn't going to be long before he ran into trouble again and the band of bandits that ended up surrounding him were just the sort of trouble that he had hoped not to run in. He instantly handed over the sword. He didn't particularly want to get into a fight.

"And money." The bandit said.

"I don't have any money."

"You just. You are some little lord. Would your head pay more handsomely?"

"Honestly, I don't want any trouble."

"Tough, we are here."

Gorlois knew that it was only going to end one way and if he wanted to, he could have tried to escape. But he found himself doing very little when they stepped forwards. The invisible shield pushed them all back and the only thing Gorlois knew that he had to do was run when the man shouted it.

 

 

* * *

"Hey wait. You helped me. Let me at least thank you." Gorlois ran after him.

The man had stopped at a certain point and told him to go home. Not really wanting to wander around the forest on his own again, Gorlois had tried to get his attention so that they could walk together or he could at least give him directions.

"I don't need your help or thanks. You need to get home." The man said. "This is not the time for children of lords to be walking around the forest on their own."

Gorlois finally managed to catch up with him. "I don't know how to get home. I am Gorlois Wyllt, son of Merlin and Morgana Wyllt."

There was a way that the man stopped that worried Gorlois. It was far too sudden for his liking and he hoped that this man was a friend rather than some other person with a vendetta against his family.

 

"By goddess, you are. I can see your father in you."

"As everyone seems to say."

"I am Gilli."

Gorlois smiled. "Gilli, the magical swordsman Gilli?"

"Is that what I am called?"

"Mentioned once as it really."

Gilli carried on walking but at a slower pace. "So you know my story? How I met your father?"

"No, not really. Father says its a bit dark for the younger ones so its one for when they are older."

Gilli looked confused then nodded. "I suppose how I used magic it was."

"So what is your story?" He asked, not really knowing whether he wanted to know his story

"Until I met your father I believed that my father was always scared about using magic. I had always said that I would use it for what I believed was right. I came to Camelot to take part in a tournament that anyone can enter with no rules. Looking back now, it was stupid. I did well with the use of magic. Your father kept his magic from me to begin with. But when I was in the final against Uther, he revealed it to me. Still to this day, I can remember what he said to me. It's lonely to be more powerful than any man you know and have to live like a shadow. To be special and have to pretend you're a fool. Your father is no fool. He knew what he was doing. That is really the only way we have this peace between the magical world and the non-magical."

"You were going to kill Uthur, weren't you?"

"Your father stopped me from doing that. When I left Camelot, he told me that we would meet again. I was fortunate that it did happen again."

"Did you return to Camelot then?"

"No... your father was banished from Camelot and we happened to meet in the forest."

Gorlois stopped. "My father was banished from Camelot. Why?"

"Didn't you know?" Gilli said slowly.

"No, but I shouldn't be surprised. My mother has taken over the throne of Camelot not on just one occasion but two."

"Yet if he wasn't banished, I doubt we would be in the place we are now nor would your parents be together," Gilli said. "Come on. Let's keep moving. It's getting dark."

Again, Gorlois couldn't quite believe what he was hearing and knew that Gilli was right about them keeping walking. Plus if he kept walking, he would find out more.

"Your father was always careful about who he told his magic to." Gilli started. "Your mother came to take the throne for the third time when he made his mistake. Maybe he should have just used his aged disguise in the first place. They fought and in the heat of the moment your father used magic. Allowing your mother to first find out then your uncle. Arthur was angry and it would have meant Merlin's head. But as we know now, Arthur didn't have the heart to kill Merlin so banished him instead. I was sent to Camelot by Merlin to tell Arthur that he had a traitor in his court."

"Traitor?"

"I wouldn't be able to tell you who the traitor was. Merlin never told me. I can guess by what happened afterwards but that is all guesswork." Gilli paused for a moment. "Anyway Merlin and Morgana had met a few times over that period and I heard that they had always had feelings for each other, they were just repressed. It only took them both to be in that situation for them to see what was in front of all them all this time."

"My parents only came together because they had no one else?" Gorlois questioned as they came into the druid camp.

"Of course young one. I was worried for you Gilli. I was about to send a search party out for you."

Gilli rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, Isldir. Saw this one being attacked by bandits. Had to help. This is Gor..."

"Gorlois Wyllt, son of Emrys and Le Fay," Isldir said. "I would be stupid not to know."

"Your parents have been worried about you." The druid leader said walking away.

"Have they been here?" Gorlois said, running up to be at his side.

"No, but word carries."

"Can you show me the way home?"

"Patience Dreng. Sleep with us. More will be explained to you."

Gorlois stayed where he was as the other two left him. 

_Dreng. Is that my druid name? Was I foretold as well?_

In all honesty, Gorlois was just happy for a proper meal and somewhere safe to sleep even if it was only for a night.


	12. The Telling

**Chapter 12**

**The Telling**

Gorlois had expected Iseldir to explain the next morning. He had waited patiently for the leader to come over to him. He knew better than to just go up to Iseldir. The man was busy. He had many people to look after. The last thing he needed is for Gorlois too get underneath his feet. It was midday when Iseldir came over to him and offered a walk in the forest. They walked a while in silence and Gorlois even had to look behind to see how far they had left from the druid camp.

"Why have we come this far?" Gorlois questioned when they stopped.

"Because there is information that I am going to tell you that not everyone needs to know. Some druid camps have been targeted by Lot. The less they know, the less they have to hide, the less likely they are to be punished."

"They will still be punished. Lot is a cruel man." Gorlois said.

Iseldir smiled. "We have not come to talk of Lot, Dreng. We are here to talk of you and your family."

"Tell me why they haven't told us. I do think we would have understood."

"Have you ever had to be scared of yourself?"

Gorlois shook his head.

"Have you ever had to hide a part of you?"

Again Gorlois found himself shaking his head.

"Have you ever had to watch your own kind die? Have you ever done anything in fear?"

"No, I haven't," Gorlois said.

"Then how could you truly understand if you were never in their position."

"I suppose ..."

"Dreng, let me speak for now," Iseldir said. "I did try and put them off the idea of keeping it but for the very reason I have just shown you is one that they had. They knew that you would grow up in this new world where magic was accepted more than it was when they were growing up. They have lost many people along the way. But the other reason was their own fear. They thought that you may hate them. They haven't just done a little magic to save a few people. They have killed because of the sides that they are on. Emrys is no better than Le Fay. Le Fay may have killed Camelot's citizens and her own father but Emrys has killed because of Arthur. They have the reasons to why they have killed but neither of their hands are clean."

Gorlois dropped his eyes. Iseldir was right. They spoke of all these adventures and none of them had picked up on the fact that whenever his father would say about his magic use, it would always be in secret. They were probably never given the full story. It was probably why his mother didn't have a large part to play in most of the stories.

"And yet their destinies show hope and joy."

Gorlois gave a confused look to Iseldir.

"Let's start with the one that combines all of them. Your Uncle Arthur destiny is to unite Albion and to become the greatest king these lands have ever seen. Your father's destiny is to aid Arthur in his destiny, to become the greatest sorcerer to ever live and to be Morgana's destiny and her doom. Your mother's destiny is to bring back the old ways."

"They were working towards the same goal," Gorlois stated.

"They are working. They haven't got there yet. Unless you believe that Albion is united."

"Lot," Gorlois said.

Iseldir nodded. "They were all on the wrong path. The dragon had hoped to make a different future. He had seen his kind die out, he was the last and full of hate. Hate can be as powerful as poison and once it has taken over a person it cannot stop. The dragon is still full of hate but is having to accept this future that he doesn't believe is true. Now if Emrys had listened to his heart then we wouldn't have had so much bloodshed. His banishment was the crossroads that the path needed. Yet it wasn't a path mapped out."

"So if my father never revealed his magic when he did ..."

"Arthur and Morgana would certainly be dead."

Gorlois felt shocked by what he had just heard. His mother and uncle would be dead. It probably meant that he wasn't meant to be alive either.

"Mordred has an importance as well. Yet even though he has taken this new path I fear that it is too late for him."

"Too late for what?"

Isldir sighed. "Mordred was lucky. He could choose his destiny. One was to teach you but the other was to kill Arthur. Even though he has changed his ways, I still don't believe he can get out of the other one."

"He was the traitor that father got Gilli to warn my Uncle about."

"Dreng, you must understand that they were all at a point where they believed that they couldn't change, that they were on the way of success. They were so far from it. With your birth can the greater change. Arthur could never leave you nor his sister nor his best friend."

"Why do you call me Dreng?"

"Your birth changed their path. Emrys and Le Fay's love was the start but your birth is the most significant part of the change of path. Your birth was foretold but not as widely spoken of as Emrys'. Emrys was our saviour. There is a war coming and that's when you will understand the meaning of our name."

Gorlois thought for a moment. "So why are you telling me all this? If my parents didn't want me knowing, then why are you giving me this knowledge?"

"I am one of the few that knew of the foretelling of your birth. When we knew about that it showed more aspects of your life. I knew one day you would come, mind full of questions. I promised your parents that I would only tell you if you can looking for the answers."

"I understand why my mother could be so against Camelot and Uther. Even if she didn't know it at the time but the person that took her in, killing her own kind, innocent people. But Morgause, why was she so against Camelot?"

"She never knew her parents. She was given up from birth to the Isle of the Blessed. She watched as Uther destroyed her home and killed the only family she knew. As I said earlier, hatred is like a poison and doesn't stop. Your Aunty was very full of hate from a very young age. As she grew and found out about her sister, the hatred grew even more. When you father was saved from the spell Alavar placed on him to bring back Morgause, she could have taken his place on this earth. Yet the goddess had already decided. Morgause was still too full of hate to be given her second chance."

Gorlois was going to ask another question when Gilli came into sight.

"Its time for the young lord to go home."


	13. The Return

**Chapter 13**

**The Return**

It would have been nice to have been gently awoken but the swift kick in the ribs did the same thing. It brought Merlin back into conscious and he was wide awake in no time at all. 

"We need to get on Merlin," Morgana said.

Merlin looked around as he stood up.

"Morgana, we could have only stopped for a few hours."

"We need to get on. We need to find him." She said again, with a little less strength.

"Are you telling me that or are you trying to convince yourself that you need to do that? You are going to make yourself sick again if you don't rest. We will find him don't worry."

She turned away from Merlin, ignoring him. Merlin knew that Morgana hadn't been the same since they left Tristan. She never wanted to stop for long, if she allowed them to stop. Not only was she wearing herself out but the men of the patrol were lagging as well. He knew that it was only going to cause another argument.

"Morgana, you may be able to keep going on like this with little sleep but others can't. Not only that the horses are shattered as well."

She fiddled with the saddle as she tried to tighten it up.

"I know you hate to say it, but I am right. We will find him but running yourself ragged won't bring him back faster, it will slow us down eventually."

She stopped what she was doing and turned towards him. "And what if Lot has him again? Merlin, you know that Lot won't be kind to him, especially if Gorlois only half the magical strength as us. He won't just become a bargaining chip, he will mould his mind. Actually, you don't know. You don't understand."

"No Morgana. I do understand. I understand the importance of finding him. But I also understand that the health of every member of the patrol needs to be looked after. We all have a job. What if it isn't Gorlois that is captured by Lot but us because we are all tried? What if we are the ones played off against each other? He knows how to hurt us. He knows that we all care about each other enough that he would only have to harm one hair on all of our heads to know that we will start to crumble. Please see that." He paused for a moment, unknowing whether he should say what he said next. "I feel like I am losing you again."

She looked at him in a way that he didn't know how to read. He couldn't tell what emotions she was showing and it did scare him slightly. He still had no idea what Morgause had done to her to save her from the hemlock. What if Morgause hadn't been able to save Morgana? What if she had to do something to keep her alive? Those were questions that Merlin had never asked out loud but it could be a possibility. 

There was also something about the way that Morgana didn't reply and turned away.

Merlin found himself rubbing his eyes. It was going to be a very long day.

* * *

Morgana couldn't allow Merlin to know that the fears that he was just starting to express was something that she had been worrying about for years. There were just little changes that she couldn't understand and sometimes she just felt detached from what was happening around her. It felt like something had happened to her when the twins were born. It was like something happened during that birth that made something switch in her. She would admit that she had remembered feeling like that before but that was a long time ago and she couldn't really remember why she felt that way.

The problem was, when she wasn't in her detached state of mind, she could rethink over Merlin's words and she knew that he was right. She would admit that she knew that she was going to start to fall before she even started to sway. The way her eyes became heavy and unable to keep open. She tightened her grip on the reigns but nothing was going to stop her from plummeting towards the floor and into the realm of sleep.

* * *

Merlin couldn't help but feel relieved as well as worried about Morgana. The whole thing with her lack of emotions and slight detachment worried him and he had no idea what was going on in her head and whether he should ask her about it. He wanted to be able to help her but he did fear that he wouldn't be able to help. He wondered whether she had been placed under some spell or whether she could have been this whole time. 

He watched her as she moaned and rolled over before opening her eyes slowly.

"Hi." He said, smiling at her.

"Hi," Morgana said.

"I'm not going to say anything," Merlin said.

Morgana smiled. "Well you just have, haven't you?"

Merlin looked down. "I know you want him back and I know you want to get home but we are going to have to let him go sometime. 14 is a bit young but my mother let me go when I was 17. That's not far off."

Morgana sat up. "Maybe you have been right all this time." She said gently. "We don't trust them enough. I didn't want them finding out because I was scared of what they would think of me."

"Lying to them probably isn't going to help. But we will do this together." Merlin said grabbing her hand. "Like we should have done so many other things. And please stop giving me déjà vu. It is bad enough that Arthur has put me through this once already."

"What do you mean?"

"You two are so alike. You can tell that you grew up together. Do you remember the time that you were kidnapped by bandits and then escaped but Gwen didn't and you were shouting at Arthur to save Gwen even though he was packing?"

"Of course I do."

"Well, Dollophead over there wanted to get to Gwen so quickly that I was the one that fell of my horse with exhaustion. He wouldn't stop. Even when he didn't know the berries would work when we had to pass the Wilddeoren. He then opened up about his feelings say things like 'How can I admit that I think about her all the time. Or that...I care about her more than anyone. How can I admit that...I don't know what I'll do if any harm comes to her?' and 'nothing can ever happen between us! To admit my feelings knowing that...hurts too much.' Look at him marching over now."

"Your dragon has turned up."

Merlin knew that he wouldn't be able to stop Morgana from getting up and he found himself following her as closely as he could. There was still an innocence about Aithusa and as she looked at the setting sun, he could only imagine how different things could have been. She might not have been able to have kept that innocence. She might have had to grow up fast and be as full of hate as Kilgharrah.

"Did you find him?" Merlin asked.

"I didn't find him as such. I met Gilli, who mentioned that Gorlois was with them and he has had a bit of an adventure. I think he is ready to come home. We have arranged a meeting point. I would rest here and I will return in the morning."

He knew that he had seen Morgana visibly relax and in front of Aithusa, he had to make it look like nothing was the matter. He placed his arm around Morgana.

"We are going home tomorrow."

Morgana looked up at him and smiled, properly. "I am looking forward to it."


	14. The Homecoming

**Chapter 14**

**The Homecoming**

Gorlois couldn't really describe how he was feeling. There was excitement that his adventure would soon be over and he would be back with his family, although that was the problem. He knew that he had to give his parents the time to explain all their reasons behind the things that they had done but he couldn't really see how his parents were the same people as was being spoken about. He knew that the events that had been spoken about were a long time ago, before he was even born, but it was hard to think of the reasons behind their actions. He was under no illusion that it was a different time to the one that they were living in now. They had been told that many things had been changed to make life better for them. 

He had tried to focus on the sound of the forest but his own thoughts were too loud for that. He realised that he had no one who didn't know what he had learnt around him and he wished that Clarine was by his side so that he could discuss it with her. She would help him to understand. She would make more sense of it than he would.

He found himself feeling calmer as he thought about his cousin and best friend. She had been there for him most over the last few years, especially when it came to the other lords and the names that they would call him. If they said anything about Gwen's heritage, they didn't say it in front of him. He was more bait for them. Clarine had always been there to cheer him up and tell him that they didn't know what they were talking about. Gorlois had obviously found out that they did partly.

There was one thing that Gorlois wanted out of this. He wanted to know his parent's side of the story. He wanted them to explain it to him.

* * *

With Aithusa the size that she now was, it was easier for her to show Morgana the highest that she could get to. Morgana could only just see the patrol underneath them through all the trees and wondered whether they would be there before the patrol was. 

The feeling of flying and the weightlessness that Morgana felt managed to take her mind off the fact that her son was missing. Either that or she at least knew that he had been found and was safe. This would be their reunion and she knew that he would have more than a few questions. She didn't particularly blame him for having those questions. They had hidden as much as they could from him. It was a relief that no one in Camelot had told him or any of the other children the truth. 

She also was wary because she expected his opinion of her to have changed. She knew that in a weird way that he would always love her but she wondered whether he would see her as a monster as everyone else did. She knew that Aithusa had shown her some light when she saved her all those years ago but she felt that it was Gorlois that banished the last of the darkness from her. Or so she hoped. She had hoped that Merlin hadn't caught onto her weird moods. She had to hid it from them. It was something that she could work out by herself. She didn't need them getting involved.

Morgana still had very little idea what Morgause had done to her after she recovered but she knew that she had thoughts that had never filled her mind before. Where she used to just wish that Uther would see the wrong in his ways, her mind was filled with ways that she could kill him. She knew that she had once been part of a plot to kill Uther but she wasn't going to be the one who was going to kill him. She just had to get him out of the safety of Camelot. The time that really scared her was just after when she found out that Uther was her father. Merlin had told her that he was the one to blow the window out that stopped her and she was grateful for it. She didn't want his blood on her hands. 

At one point, she was sure that Merlin could have brought her back and there would always going to be a part of her that wished that she had said that she would find another way with him. Maybe if she had, he would have told her about his magic and the land that they have built would have been built sooner. They would have changed Arthur's mind before he became king. 

A wasted opportunity.

Morgana knew better than anyone the number of wasted opportunities and she was sure that this was destiny's way of telling them that they were taking too long to tell their children about what they did and what it was like before they were born. They would have to tell Gorlois and therefore the rest of the children as well. 

Aithusa gently started to make her descent towards the ground and Morgana hoped that one of the two men was her son.

* * *

"Is Camelot still as beautiful as I remember?" Gilli asked trying to make small talk.

"Very little has been changed to it. Yes, it is beautiful and I am fortunate to call it my home."

"I don't think I would fit in."

Gorlois looked at him. "Maybe not. My father never looks like he fits in but he does. As everyone keeps going on about, this is a new time, where peasants can be advisor and queens. No peasant is ever going to look out of place in a castle ever again."

"Can you use that or do you wear it as an accessory?" He said pointing at the sword.

"Of course I can use it. My mother would prefer it if I did just wear it as an accessory though. She is a little protective over me."

"My mother was the same. She always used to smother me when I had hurt myself. I do think it is because I was her first and only son. The only child actually."

Gorlois tried to imagine not being surrounded by his siblings and cousins. He found himself not being able to imagine not being part of a big family. "That must have been lonely."

"It wasn't too bad. We were part of a close-knit village. Everyone knew each other, was friendly to each other."

"Was?"

Gilli sighed. "Our village was attacked by raiders. Most of the women and children managed to flee but I was caught up in it all. I watched my father fighting. Another thing your father made me realise. I always thought my father was scared to do magic but he wasn't. He used it wisely. But he could still be here today if he did use it."

Gilli and Gorlois left the shelter of the trees.

"This is the meeting point."

Gorlois wasn't looking towards the sky but he supposed that he probably should have been. As soon as Aithusa landed, he allowed a few moments for his mother to get her bearings and turn towards them.

"Mother!" He shouted as he ran towards her.

* * *

Morgana took her time getting her bearings. For some reason, her legs felt shaky. She took a few deep breaths before taking her first few steps. She thanked Aithusa before she turned to the two people at the opposite end of the clearing.

"Mother."

She started running as he did and they met halfway, embracing tightly. She was reunited with her son. The son that she hadn't seen in days. The son she believed was her saviour.

It was as his arms were wrapped around her neck that she realised how tall her eldest was. He was easily the same size as her and no longer the toddler who she had lost. She knew that she had to let go of him slightly. He was starting to become a man and there was a chance that ten years down the line that he could be married and have his own children. He was no longer a child but he was no man yet. But Morgana might need to give him the breathing room to become the man that he was going to be.

"Family outing then?" Gorlois joked.

Morgana found herself having the strength to let go of him and turn to see that the patrol had caught them up. Merlin had already gotten off of his horse and was on his way to them. She was glad that she didn't have to let her son go as Merlin pulled them into a group hug.

"We could have brought everyone," Merlin said. "But its probably best that they worry in Camelot. I think Clarine would have been as bad as your mother."

Morgana could tell that they had all relaxed. The stress and worry had washed away. There was still the after effects of what had happened but she knew that it could be sorted out in Camelot and as a family.

"Father, not to be rude but can we go home now?" Gorlois said.

She felt herself smile and she knew that this hug would be over soon. She tried to commit what she was feeling to memory. She knew that what she was feeling now would be helpful in the future. She needed to know that she knew what it was like to feel safe and loved. 

Merlin broke the hug and she watched him as he walked over to the other man. Morgana felt like she recognised him but she couldn't place where she had seen him before.

"You can always come back with us. I do believe there will always be a place in Camelot for you." Merlin said.

"Maybe after the winter. There are a few druids that need to be taught to hunt properly before I leave. I will definitely take you up on the offer. Camelot sounds like a better place than when I first visited."

Morgana loosed her grip of Gorlois and she felt proud when he walked up to the man.

Gorloisheld his hand out. "Thank you, Gilli."

Gilli took it and shook it. "I doubt this will be the last time we met."

Gorlois smiled. "I hope not."


	15. The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a little one-shot that goes between chapter 14 and this one. You can check it out before this chapter or afterwards. I don't think it particularly matters when you read it.

**Chapter 15**

**The Truth**

Gorlois looked out of his window and thought back to Freya's words at the beginning of his adventure. She had said that he had a lot to learn about his family but he couldn't help but feel like he hadn't learnt a lot. But everything that he had learnt about his parents still puzzled him. He hoped that they were going to come and tell him the truth. He deserved it.

It was hard for him to see them as the people he had been told about. It was weird to think that they were those same people. It was weird to think that they hated each other when he had heard his mother's screams as his father would chase her down the halls. It was hard to think that his mother wanted the throne when he had watched her advise his uncle so many times.

But he supposed that was how love works. Maybe that was just it. Love does conquer all.

There was one thing that he was glad of and he was glad to be home. Even if he had more questions about everything.

Clarine had made the effort to see him earlier. He hadn't told her what he had found out but he had mentioned that he thought that their parents hadn't been as honest with them as they should have been. She had been the one with the level head to tell him that they must have their reasons from hiding the truth from them. He knew that she was right but he wasn't going to say that out loud to her. He knew that he would never hear the end of it. She had been glad that he was back home and Gorlois was reminded again at why she was his best friend and how he hoped that he would never drift apart from her. He needed her in his life. He did just hope that she felt the same way about him. He knew that he had to ask her but it felt weird to ask her. They were family. No matter how far apart they were, Camelot would always call them home. They were always going to be together.

The knock on the door equally surprised him and didn't surprise him. He wondered how much they knew. He wondered whether they worried about how much he knew. He wondered whether they were going to tell him the truth. He wondered whether they felt as nervous as he did.

He stood up as he said to come in and was glad that it was his parents.  

"We know that you know," Morgana said to break the silence in the room.

Gorlois cleared his throat. "You don't know how much I know. Just one question. Why did you never tell us?"

Merlin and Morgana looked at each other.

"We didn't know how you would react, nor whether you would truly understand our actions," Merlin said. "We haven't just tried to kill each other. We have killed to fulfil our own goals. It's not a part of our past that we are proud of. Our story is a long one and complicated. There are many things that don't even make sense to us now."

"Why would you think we could never understand?"

"Gorlois. You won't. Things are complicated. You haven't been through what we have. We don't need to tell you the full story because you have no need to learn from our mistakes. If you had the misfortune to live in the times that we did, we would be in some druid camp far from Camelot. You wouldn't know where Camelot was because that is what we would have to do to make sure that you were safe from Uther and anyone who wanted to use you against us." Morgana said. "You are one of the most precious things in our lives and the pill that is hard to swallow isn't that we hated each other or the things that we have done, but that the land that we have built and the family that we have made technically shouldn't exist. Our bad choices don't matter when we are grateful for every single day that destiny has changed. We say that everything is in the past and everything we are about to tell you and then the others, is in the past. Once we have told you, that is where it needs to stay."

Gorlois hoped that he would finally understand. This was it he was getting the truth about everything that had happened. This is what he wanted in the past.

"We would ask you what you know but we don't know who you have met and how badly they might have tarnished our names. There is no point in starting anywhere else than the beginning. You will obviously recognise some of the stories but it's important that you do know everything and these stories are told properly and correctly." Merlin explained. "It has to start with a village boy of seventeen years of age travelling for his home village to a city. It took me a few days but that trip and city changed my life forever. The first thing I saw when I arrived in Camelot was the execution of Thomas Collins and your mother. Little did I know that was when I knew the danger that I had entered and when I fell in love."

"Really father?" Gorlois said.

Merlin looked at Morgana.

"Really."

The story might have started off similar but once they were all sat down and comfortable, Gorlois could tell that the story was going to be different to those that he had heard before. He wondered whether they would give it to him all in one go or over many nights. If anything, Gorlois was excited to know the truth. The whole truth and nothing but the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we know the story from here...
> 
>  
> 
> This puts me back on track... thank god.


End file.
